Adjusting mechanism for dual brakes



Jan. 9, 1945. I

- C. J. WHITACRE ADJUSTING MECHANISM FOR DUAL BRAKES Filed Dec. 9, 1945 FlG.|. 25 29 INVENTOR J.WH|TACRE ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 9, 1945 I ADJ US'I'ING- MECHANISM FOR DUAL BRAKES Clarence J. VVhitacre, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to Wagner Electric Corporation, St. Louis, Mo, a corporation of Delaware Application December 9, 1943, Serial No. 513,570

8 Claims. .(Cl.188- 79.5)

My invention relates to brakes and more particularly to adjusting mechanism for brake shoes thereof. thereof will wear a substantially equal amount. One of the objects of my invention is to pro- Therefore, it is desirable that provision be made vide improved means for simultaneously adjustthat when one of the shoes is adjusted, a like adin like shoes of a dual brake. justment be made for the other shoe. With the Another object of my invention is to associate adjustable connection employed between each with the adjustable actuating connections for fluid motor and a shoe as described, this can be similar brake shoes of a dual brake, means opconveniently accomplished by connecting the two erable by a single control member'for simultaneears 13 so that when one is turned in one diously operating said connections to cause like rection, the other will be turned in the same dichanges in their lengths. rection and through an equal angle. 'In accord- Other objects of my-invention will become apance with my invention, I provide an idler gear parent fromthe followin description taken in IT for m g With e s l3 0f t W ne connection with the accompanying drawing in tions. This idler gear is ournaled-on a platel8 which Figure 1 is a top view of a portion of a dual which. is provided with forked ends l9 and 20. brake showing adjusting means embodying my Gears l3 have grooves 2| and end- I9 is adapted invention and associated with the actuating t e a e in o e roo e d e d 0 s a p to 1 means for two of the shoes; and Figure 2 is a age in the other groov The t h 2 f r sectional View taken on the line 2--2 of Figure 1. '1 are a s t n y p rt y r h he y Referring to the figures in detail, the dual of the gear and the g ar i arranged so that these brake shown as having my invention mbodi d teeth will mesh with teeth 16 of gears I3. It is therein comprises two shoes I and 2 mounted on Seen that by means of this idler gear When gear a support 3 positioned between said shoe shoe I3 of connection 6 is turned in the direction of I is actuated by a fluid motor 4 and shoeZ bythe arrow A, gear of connection 7 will be a fluid motor 5, both fluid motors eal sobeing turned in the same direction as indicated by the mounted on support 3. Between the fluid motor arrow B. The angle of turning of both gears l3 4 and brake shoe l is an adjustable conn ction will be the same and, therefore, there will be like generally indicated by the numeral 6. A like adadjustments of the two connections 6 and 1. J'ustable connection I is situated between fluid '30 Means is provided for simultaneously p motor 5 and brake shoe 2. Since these connecing-both gears and, as shown, such consists of a tions are alike, only connection 6 will be de- 7 S g e ea 23 meshing it s r l3 f 00111160- scribed in detail. However, the same reference 'tion 6. Gear 23 is secured to'the inner end of a characters will be used to indicate the lik parts shaft 24 and this shaft is held in mesh W gear of both connections. v a I3 by an Lshaped bracket 25, the leg 26 of which As shown in'Figures 1 and 2, a threaded link 8 has shaft 24 journaled therein and the leg 21 has mounted thereon a cylindrical link 9 having thereof being journaled on the cylindrical link 9 I internal threads cooperating with the threads of connection 6 and held in place betweenv a on link 8. Link 8 is pivotally connectedto shoe shoulder 28 on said link and the b dy of gear I by apin l0 and the cylindrical link 9 is pro- This arrangement permits the actuating gear 23 vided with a spherical end II for cooperation and its shaft 24 to move at all times With connecwith' the piston l2 of fluid motor 4. Cylindrical tions 6 and 1 whenever the fluid motors are oplink 3 has secured thereto a gear l3 which is held erated ,to actuate the brake shoes. Shaft 24 is thereon between shoulders l4 and IS. The teeth adapted to extend through a slot 29 in the back- IG of this gear are cut only partially through the 43 ing plate 30 of the brake assembly. The coopbody of the gear. It is seen that by means of eration between this slot and the shaft prevents these connections when gear I 3 of either connecany turning of the L-shaped bracket about the tion is turned, the cylindrical link 9 will be axis of connection 6. The slot is arranged so turned, thus causing, by'means of the cooperatthat the shaft is free to move with the connecing threads, a relative axial movement between tion. The slot may be closed by a washer 3| held the two links. The turning of the gear in one in place by a flange 32 on the shaft. A spring direction will shorten the connection and the washer 33 holds the shaft from shifting longituturning of it in the opposite direction will dinally. The shaft has an irregularly shaped lengthen the connection. bore 34 at its outer end for the reception of a Since shoes I and 2 are similar shoes of the as suitable tool. I

dual brake and are actuated by simultaneously operated like fluid motors, the lining surfaces cessity for adjusting first one connection and then the other is eliminated. The person making adjustment will be certain that equal adjustments are being made to compensate for equal lining wear of the two shoes. The entire adjusting mechanism is supported on the two connections 6 and 1 and said mechanism moves bodily with the two connections whenever there is any movement thereof during actuation of the two brake shoes.

Being aware of the possibility of modifications in the particular structure herein described without departing from the fundamental principles of my invention, I do not intend that its scope be limited except as set forth by the appended claims.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In braking mechanism, two brake shoes positioned side by side, actuating members for each shoe, each shoe moving in the same direction, said members being simultaneously operable, a connection between each shoe and its actuating member, meansto vary the length of each of said connections, means disposed 'between the connections and movable therewith for simultaneously varying the lengths of each of the connections an equal amount, andmeans comprising a single operator-operated control member to simultaneously vary the length of said connections.

2. In braking mechanism, two brake shoes positioned side by side, an actuating member for each shoe, said members being simultaneously operable, an adjustable connection between each shoe and its actuating member comprising-a rotatable member for varying the length thereof,

means carried by the connections and movable therewith for connecting said rotatable members together for simultaneous rotation in the same direction, and an operator-operated control member for turning one of the rotatable members.

3. In braking mechanism, two brake shoes positioned side by side, an actuating member for each shoe, said members being simultaneously '65 sitioned side by side, an actuating member for operable, an adjustable connection between each shoe and its actuating member comprising a rotatable member for varying the length thereof, toothed means carried by each rotatable member,

a support extending between the two connections and carried thereby for movement therewith, a gear journaled on the support and meshing with both toothed means, and an operator-operated control means for turning one of the toothed means.

5. In braking mechanism, two brake shoes positioned side by side, an actuating member for each shoe, said 'members being simultaneously operable, an adjustable connection between each shoe and its actuating me'rnber comprising a rotatable member for varying the length thereof, toothed means carried by each rotatable member, a support extending between the two connections and carried thereby for movement therewith, a gear journaled on the support and meshing with both toothed means, an operator-operated gear meshing with one of the toothed members, and means for holding the last named gear in constant mesh with said toothed member and for causing it to be movable with the connection.

6. In braking mechanism, two brake shoes positioned side by side, an actuating member for each shoe, said members being simultaneously operable, an adjustable connection between each shoe and its actuating membercomprising a rotatable member for varying the length thereof, said rotatable members being provided with grooves, toothed means carried by each rotatablev member, a plate having forked-ends positioned in the grooves of the rotatable members, a gear journaled on the plate and meshing with both toothedmeans, and an operator-operated gear meshing withone of the toothed members.

7. In braking mechanism, two brake shoes positioned side by side,-an actuating member for each shoe, said members being simultaneously members, a gear journaled on the plate and meshing with both toothed means, an operatoroperated gear meshing with one of the toothed members, an L-shaped bracket having one leg journaled on the connection carrying the toothed means engaged by the last named gear, and means for journaling said last named gear in the other leg of the bracket.

8. In braking mechanism, two brake shoes positioned side by side, a fluid motor having a movable element for actuating each shoe, said fluid motors being simultaneously operable, 'a connection between each shoe and the movable element of its fluid motor, said connection comprising a threaded member non-rotatably connectedto the shoe and a cooperating threaded member rotatably associated with the movable element of the fluid motor, toothed means carried by each rotatable threaded member of the connections, a plate supported on the rotatable members of the con necting means, a gear'journaled on the plate and meshing with both toothed means, and operatoroperated control means mounted to be carried by one connection for turning the toothed means of said connection. 3

' CLARENCE J. WHITACRE. 

